There are many games of skill and luck suited for playing on or via the Internet, for example chess, which is a game of skill, and card games, which typically involve a significant amount of luck. Poker is an example of such a card game, which is very popular and typically uses a standard deck of playing cards.
Numerous variations of poker type card games are also popular. Poker to a large extent relies on luck to win as players do not know what cards their opponents are holding and what cards are to be dealt next. A particular issue with such games is that in some locations playing games of luck for gambling purposes has been restricted.
WO 2004/022,185 (Werkstell) discloses an electronic machine arranged to allow a single person to improve poker playing. The machine includes a screen sized to allow the display of at least one array of 3 rows and 5 columns to display 15 playing cards face up; and a plurality of user controls allowing the player to move any card in the upper row of the array downwards and to move any card in the lower row upwards. The machine also includes a comparator and a calculation and screen display means for comparing the combination achieved by the player to the best combination possible using the displayed cards. The machine is programmed to demonstrate the correct moves to achieve the best or better possible combination if the player has failed to achieve said best combination. The machine can be programmed to limit the time of play and/or to limit the number of moves possible. The player could use a personal computer or a television with a remote control for playing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,607 (Kay) discloses a random number generator for use with electronic devices. The generator is particularly useful in games of chance such as poker, roulette, and slot machines, where randomness is critically important to ensure proper payment of winnings.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,823,879 (Goldberg, et al.) discloses a network gaming system for automating games such as blackjack, poker, craps, roulette, baccarat and pai gow, wherein players may play continuously and asynchronously. The games do not require a manual dealer and the system may be used to play such games on the Internet or an interactive cable television network wherein a game controller communicates with players at network nodes in their homes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,948,134 (Suttle, et al.) discloses an electronic poker game in which a player and a dealer are each dealt five cards. If the dealer has a poker hand having a value less than an Ace-King combination or better, the player automatically wins. If the dealer has a poker hand having a value of an Ace-King combination or better, then the higher of the player's or the dealer's hand wins. If the player wins, he receives a bonus payment depending on the poker rank of his hand. By making an additional wager, a player can also participate in a progressive jackpot component of the card game.
US 2007/072,666 (Loewenstein, et al.) discloses a multi-hand poker game where the cards are dealt in in a diamond pattern with four hands formed from five card groups. A player may swap cards among the four hands before the hands are compared to a pay-table.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,142,872 (Walker, et al.) discloses a method and apparatus for team play of slot machines for enabling team play by a plurality of slot machine players. The game results of each team player are combined in a predefined manner to obtain a team game result. The game results of each player may be combined on a “per-spin” basis, or collected for each team player over an entire play session. A session can be defined, for example, in terms of (i) the number of plays per session; (ii) the duration of the session; or (iii) all plays until a predefined event occurs.
US 2007/235,936 (Couri) discloses a method and apparatus for playing a poker game where one or more players can play against the house, using a standard fifty-two card deck. Players place their first bet after the cards have been dealt. All cards, twelve total, are dealt face-up exposing six 2-card hands.